Evaluation of chromosomal abnormalities and Y-chromosome microdeletions in 1696 Turkish cases with primary male infertility: A single-center study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the frequencies of chromosomal abnormalities and Y-chromosome microdeletions in Turkish cases with primary male infertility in a single center. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Chromosomal abnormalities and Y-chromosome microdeletions were investigated in 1696 cases with primary male infertility between 2012 and 2017. Karyotype analyzes and Y-chromosome microdeletions analyzes [azoospermia factor (AZF) regions] were performed in all cases by using standard cytogenetic methods and the multiplex polymerase chain reaction method, respectively. RESULTS: Chromosomal abnormalities were found in 142 cases (8.4%; 142/1696). Y-chromosome microdeletions were detected in 46 cases (2.7%; 46/1696). Y-chromosome microdeletions in the AZFc region were found in 20 of 46 cases (43%). CONCLUSION: This study is one of the few were a large number of cases was studied in Turkey. It indicates that cytogenetic and Y-chromosome microdeletion studies should be conducted in cases with primary male infertility prior to selecting assisted reproductive techniques.

Effect of the afterloaded external guidance embryo transfer technique on pregnancy rates in single embryo transfer cycles.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate effect of the afterloaded external guidance embryo transfer technique on pregnancy rates in single embryo transfer intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study was performed at the Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Research and Education Hospital. Three hundred and thirteen women who underwent ICSI were included in the study. Subjects were categorized according to the embryo transfer technique; Group 1 (n: 232): easy transfer with a soft catheter, Group 2 (n: 45): after external guidance transfer, and Group 3 (n: 36): difficult transfer with a stylet. Basal parameters, clinical and laboratory IVF outcomes and pregnancy rates were studied. RESULTS: Infertility etiology, basal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, antral follicle count, duration of stimulation, total dose of gonadotropin, peak estradiol levels, endometrial thickness, oocyte number, 2 PN, and fertilization rate were similar between the three groups (p>0.05). Despite the decreased pregnancy rate in Group 3, there were no differences in clinical pregnancy rates among the groups (p=0.204). CONCLUSION: Embryo transfer is one of the critical steps in assisted reproduction procedures. Using the afterloaded external guidance embryo transfer technique did not improve pregnancy rates.

Treatment with oxytocin antagonists before embryo transfer may increase implantation rates after IVF.

This report aimed to examine the effects of atosiban on pregnancy outcome after IVF-embryo transfer. A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study was performed. A total of 180 women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection who had top-quality embryos were randomly allocated into treatment and control groups. All the patients had infertility due to tubal factor, hormonal-anovulatory disorders, male factor or unexplained reasons. The treatment group received intravenous administration of atosiban before embryo transfer with a total administered dose of 37.5 mg. In the control group, the same number of cycles was performed with placebo medication. The clinical pregnancy rate (PR) per cycle and implantation rate (IR) per transfer were 46.7% and 20.4% in the atosiban-treated group, which were significantly higher than in the control group (28.9% and 12.6%, respectively, P=0.01). The miscarriage rates of groups 1 and 2 were 16.7% and 24.4%, respectively (P=0.01). These results have indicated that atosiban increases the IR and PR after IVF-embryo transfer. These results suggest that atosiban treatment before embryo transfer is effective in priming of the uterus for implantation. This is the first study to investigate the possible contributions of atosiban for improving the PR after IVF-embryo transfer.

Histomorphological differences of spermatic cords regarding subinguinal versus inguinal levels: a cadaveric study.

AIM: Varicocele is a common disorder among male population and is the most common cause of secondary infertility. Microsurgical inguinal or subinguinal operations are the preferred approaches but the two differ in technical difficulty. Therefore, we examined the histomorphological differences of spermatic cords at both subinguinal and inguinal levels in this cadaveric study. METHODS: Spermatic cords from 9 adult male cadavers were examined at both the inguinal and subinguinal levels using a light microscope with an image analysis program in the anatomy and histology laboratories of Ankara University Medical School between July 15, 2006 and February 15, 2007. RESULTS: In terms of number and wall thickness, we did not observe any significant histomorphological differences in spermatic cord veins and arteries between the subinguinal and inguinal levels. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the subinguinal approach is not a harder technique than the inguinal approach concerning vessel dissection, but more studies must be made to compare subinguinal versus inguinal varicocelectomy.

Osseointegration in arthroplasty: can simvastatin promote bone response to implants?

Cementless fixation depends on bone ingrowth for long-term success. Simvastatin as a lipid lowering agent has been demonstrated to have osteoanabolic effects. This study was designed to measure the possible effect of simvastatin on implant osseointegration. Bilateral femoral implantation of titanium cylinders was performed in 20 rabbits. Blood lipid levels were measured pre- and postoperatively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to measure the percentage of the surface of each implant in contact with bone and mechanical pull-out testing was performed. The blood lipid levels were significantly reduced in the simvastatin group. Histomorphometric examination revealed increased bone ingrowth and mechanical examination showed increased interface strength in the simvastatin group. Mechanical and histological data showed superior stability and osseous adaptation at the bone/implant interface for the simvastatin group. We conclude that simvastatin has potential as a means of enhancing bone ingrowth, which is a key factor in the longevity of cementless implants.

The effects of merocel and glove finger tampon applications on the nasal septum mucosa of rabbits.

OBJECTIVE: The use of tampons after nasal septum surgery is important for both prevention of postoperative bleeding and stabilization of the nasal flaps and the septum. One of the most important factors in achieving rapid postoperative recovery is the choice of the nasal tampon material, among many, to produce minimal damage on the nasal mucosa. In this study, the histopathological effects of the glove finger and merocel tampons, which are commonly used in clinical applications, have been investigated on the nasal mucosa of rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, merocel and glove finger tampons were used for nasal packing in one-sided nasal cavities of 16 adult New Zealand rabbits. The animals were randomized into two groups, each consisting of eight animals. The tampons were removed after 48 hours. RESULTS: Histological examination showed that if the merocel was in a glove finger, it did not create any damage to mucosal integrity and lamina propria. However, in the group where merocel was used directly, the epithelium of the nasal mucosa was shortened and demonstrated loss of cilia and in four of the eight specimens, it was partly from lamina propria. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the use of merocel in glove finger tampon leads to a lesser degree of damage in the lamina propria, and may facilitate rapid mucosal wound healing postoperatively.